Women's driving activist among seven arrested in Saudi Arabia

A university student sits for the first time in the driver’s seat during driver training in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Picture: AP/ANA

Cairo - A prominent activist for the right of Saudi Arabian women to drive is among seven people arrested by State Security on charges of working with "foreign entities to support their activities," according to local media reports.

In a statement carried by the official SPA news agency, a State Security spokesman said the seven are accused of carrying out "organized work to breach national and religious principles and suspicious contacts with foreign entities."

They are also accused of "recruiting people working in sensitive government positions and offering financial support for hostile elements abroad," according to the statement.

"They aimed at undermining the security, stability and social peace of the kingdom and harming the national unity," it added. Work is underway to identify anyone who had links with the group's activities, it said.

Online newspaper Sabq said that three women are among the arrested, including Loujain al-Hathloul, a prominent human rights activist involved in the campaign for women's right to drive.

In 2014, al-Hathloul was detained for more than two months after attempting to drive into Saudi Arabia from the neighbouring United Arab Emirates.

The arrests came as Saudi Arabia prepares for the driving ban to come to an end on June 24.

Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world that forbids women from driving.